The New South Africa's New Foreign Policy Mandela's Government Has Sometimes Stumbled Diplomatically, but Its Engagement with Regional Economic Partners Has Been Sure-Footed

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In January, South Africa's decision to market tank-firing
systems to Syria raised a storm of protest from a domestic audience
concerned with Damascus's human rights record and from
international observers concerned about the already volatile Middle
East peace process. The prospective sale also raised interesting
questions about Pretoria's stated intention of pursuing an
"independent" foreign policy.

The widely unexpected success of South Africa's political
transition has been its greatest foreign policy trump card. In the
vanguard is the country's own international superstar, President
Nelson Mandela, a man revered for his record of conciliatory
politics and received with rapturous welcome wherever he goes. The
president's stature has also given South Africa new found authority
in the area of human rights - an unusual position for some white
diplomats more accustomed to backpedaling and defending apartheid
in bygone years. But the Syrian deal and other publicized missteps
with Iran and Libya have undermined this moral high ground and
highlighted problems.

A misstep with Nigeria
In another example, Pretoria has been criticized for its
handling of the Nigerian crisis. In November 1995, following the
execution of Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues, Mr.
Mandela sharply criticized Nigeria's military government and its
lack of reform. That was seen to have set back South
African-Nigerian relations in the face of a lack of international
support for Mandela's stance. Similarly, the handling of the
inevitable shift of relations from Taiwan to China left much to be
desired - one month promising Taiwan it would be "immoral" to
remove ties, and the next doing just that.
In spite of these difficulties, there have been some impressive
foreign policy successes for the new South African regime,
particularly in arms control. As the only unilaterally disarmed
nuclear power, South Africa can punch well beyond its weight in
this area. One successful example occurred at the 1995
nonproliferation review and extension conference, where South
Africa engineered politically palatable, conditional, but
indefinite terms of extension. But there could be much more to come.
Mandela's oft-stated foreign policy priority is southern Africa.
Clearly, the development and security of the 12 members, including
South Africa, that comprise the Southern Africa Development
Community (SADC) are closely linked. What happens to one, given the
historical, transport, and economic ties, will inevitably affect
the others. This is most graphically illustrated through the
seemingly unstoppable flood of economic refugees from all over the
region to the bright lights and hopes of South Africa's cities. …